TechWhirl Sponsors

About TechWhirl

TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.

For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.

Re: contractions in tech.writing

>> We conform to Microsoft's styles in general but some of them we
>> overrule (such as their declining to use contractions (in the Win 95
>> booklet)).

>What are the reasons for and against using contractions in technical
>writing?

We use contractions for friendliness, UNLESS the work is destined for
translation, or will be read in the original by international readers.
That's a big argument on the minus side. Contractions can be hard for
non-native English speakers to cope with.